Dust Science with the DESTINY+ Dust Analyzer

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harald Krüger ◽  

<p>The DESTINY+<br />spacecraft (Demonstration and Experiment of Space Technology for<br />INterplanetary voYage with Phaethon fLyby and dUst Science) will be launched to the<br />active asteroid (3200) Phaethon by the Japanese Space Agency JAXA in 2024. The main<br />mission target will be Phaethon with a close flyby in 2028. Together with two cameras, the<br />DESTINY+ Dust Analyzer (DDA) on board will perform close observations of this rockcomet type object to solve essential questions related to the evolution of our inner Solar<br />System, especially the heating processes of small bodies. Phaethon is believed to be the<br />parent body of the Geminids meteor shower and is considered to be a comet-asteroid<br />transition object. Such objects likely play a major role to better understand the nature and<br />origin of mass accreted on to Earth. The DDA dust analyzer is an upgrade of the Cassini<br />Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA) which very successfully investigated the dust environment of<br />the Saturnian system. The DDA instrument is an impact ionization time-of-flight mass<br />spectrometer with integrated trajectory sensor, which will analyse sub-micrometer and<br />micrometer sized dust particles. The instrument will measure the particle composition (mass<br />resolution m/Δm ≈ 100-150), mass, electrical charge, impact velocity (about 10% accuracy),<br />and impact direction (about 10° accuracy). In addition to dust analysis in the vicinity of<br />Phaethon during the close flyby at this small asteroid, DDA will continuously measure dust<br />in interplanetary space in the spatial region between 0.9 and 1.1 AU during the<br />approximately four years spanning cruise phase from Earth to Phaethon. We give a progress<br />report of the instrument development together with an update on the preparation of the<br />scientific measurements planned during the DESTINY+ mission.</p>

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoko Arai ◽  

<p>DESTINY+ (Demonstration and Experiment of Space Technology for INterplanetary voYage with Phaethon fLyby and dUst Science) was selected in 2017 as a mission for JAXA/ISAS small class program. It will be launched in 2024 by an Epsilon S rocket and flyby Phaethon in January, 2028. It is a joint mission of technology demonstration and scientific observation. The engineering mission is led by ISAS/JAXA and the science mission is led by PERC, Chiba Inst. of Technology (ChiTech). It will test high performance electric propelled vehicle technology and high-speed flyby of asteroid (3200) Phaethon and possibly asteroid 2005UD, a likely break-up body from Phaethon, as an extended mission. Engineering challenges include an up-close encounter at a distance of 500 km from Phaethon with radio-optical hybrid navigation guidance and control, and autonomous imaging based on optical information for target tracking during a high-speed flyby of about 35km/sec. The science goal is to understand the nature and origin of cosmic dust brought onto the Earth, in the context of exogenous contribution of carbon and organics for possible prebiotic seeds of the terrestrial life. Phaethon is a parent body of Geminid meteor shower, and thus a known source to periodically provide dust to the Earth, via its dust stream. The science objectives are two folded: (1) in-situ analyses of velocity, arrival direction, mass and chemical composition of interplanetary and interstellar dust particles around 1 au, the dust trail, and nearby Phaethon, and (2) flyby imaging of Phaethon to study its geology, for understanding dust ejection mechanism of active asteroid and the surface feature and composition which are affected by extensive solar heating. Science payloads include a panchromatic, telescopic camera with a tracking capability (TCAP), a visible-NIR multi-band camera with four bands of 425, 550, 700, 850 nm (MCAP), and a dust analyzer (DDA), which is an upgrade version of Cassini Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA). While the two cameras are developed by PERC/Chitech, DDA is developed by Univ. of Stuttgart, as an international collaboration with DLR. Ground calibration for DDA is being performed with German/Japanese joint efforts. International observation campaign for Phaethon was conducted in December 2017, and that of asteroid 2005 UD in October, 2018. Also, international observation campaign for stellar occultation by Phaethon was performed in 2019. Here, we present the current status and science of DESTINY+ mission.</p>


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximilian Sommer ◽  
Harald Krüger ◽  
Ralf Srama ◽  
Takayuki Hirai ◽  
Masanori Kobayashi ◽  
...  

<p align="justify">The Destiny+ mission (Demonstration and Experiment of Space Technology for Interplanetary voyage Phaethon fLyby and dUst Science) has been selected as part of its M-class Space Science Program by the Japanese space agency JAXA/ISAS and is set to launch in 2023/2024. The mission target is the active asteroid (3200) Phaethon with a projected flyby in early 2028. The scientific payload consists of two cameras (the Telescopic Camera for Phaethon, TCAP, and the Multi-band Camera for Phaethon, MCAP), and the Destiny+ Dust Analyzer (DDA). DDA is the technological successor to the Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA) aboard Cassini-Huygens, which prominently investigated the dust environment of the Saturnian system. The DDA sensor is designed as a combination of impact ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer and trajectory sensor, which will allow for the analysis of sub-micron and micron sized dust particles with respect to their composition (mass resolution m/Δm ≈ 100-150), mass, electrical charge, velocity (about 10% accuracy), and impact direction (about 10° accuracy).</p> <p align="justify">Besides attempting to sample the impact-generated dust cloud around Phaethon during the flyby, DDA will be actively observing the interplanetary & interstellar dust environment over the roughly four years spanning cruise phase from the Earth-Moon system through interplanetary space. After launch into a GTO-like orbit, Destiny+ will first employ its solar-electric propulsion system to spiral up to the lunar orbit within about 18 months, followed by a series of lunar swingbys and interim coasting phases in distant cislunar space, accumulating momentum to leave the Earth-Moon system at high excess velocity. The subsequent roughly 2-year interplanetary transfer to intercept Phaethon will be characterized by moderate orbital eccentricity of up to 0.1 and largely unpowered coasting phases.</p> <p align="justify">During these four years, the DDA sensor will benefit from a maximum pointing coverage range enabled by its dual-axis pointing mechanism and spacecraft attitude flexibility (during times of unpowered flight). This will allow for exhaustive mapping and analysis of the different interplanetary dust populations, as well as interstellar dust encountered in the region between 0.9-1.1 AU.</p> <p align="justify">Here, we give a progress report on the science planning efforts for the 4-year transfer phase. We present a tentative observation timeline that assigns scientific campaigns to different phases of the mission, taking into account results of various dust models, as well as operational and technical constraints.</p>


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarjei Antonsen ◽  
Ingrid Mann ◽  
Jakub Vaverka ◽  
Libor Nouzak ◽  
Åshild Fredriksen

Abstract. We investigate the generation of charge during collision of projectiles with sizes below ~ 1 μm and metal surfaces at speeds ~ 0.1 km/s. This corresponds to speeds above the elastic limit and well below speeds where volume ionization can occur. The conditions that we consider apply to dust particles naturally occurring in space and in Earth's upper atmosphere and their direct impacts on rockets, spacecraft, and impacts of secondary ejecta. We introduce a model of capacitive contact charging in which we allow for projectile fragmentation upon impact, and show that this model describes measurements of metal-metal impacts in the laboratory and in-situ measurements of dust in the Earth's atmosphere well. We have considered the utilization of our model for different scenarios in interplanetary space and in Earth's atmosphere. From this discussion we find it likely that our work can be employed in a number of situations where impact velocities are relatively small. Furthermore, we have discussed the thermodynamics of the low velocity solution of shock wave ionization, and conclude that the impurity charging effect utilized in the much used model of Drapatz and Michel (1974) does not sufficiently describe charge generation at impact speeds below a few kilometers per second. Consequently, impact charging at low speeds cannot be described with a Saha-solution.


2018 ◽  
Vol 620 ◽  
pp. A179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxim Zheltobryukhov ◽  
Ekaterina Chornaya ◽  
Anton Kochergin ◽  
Gennady Kornienko ◽  
Alexey Matkin ◽  
...  

Context. The near-Earth asteroid (3200) Phaethon occasionally reveals a comet-like activity. It is a parent body to the Geminid meteor shower and considered as a target for the space mission called Demonstration and Experiment of Space Technology for Interplanetary Voyage Phaethon Flyby Dust Science, DESTINY+. Aims. We aim to characterize Phaethon through measurements of the degree of linear polarization P measured on Phaethon at large phase angles on its closest approach to Earth on December 17, 2017. These observations allow a more accurate estimation of the maximum value of the degree of linear polarization Pmax of Phaethon, and therefore, of studying the Umov effect. Methods. We performed polarimetric measurements of Phaethon at large phase angles α and thus constrained its Pmax. We also estimated the geometric albedo a based on the data available in the literature. The obtained Pmax and A were analysed with the Umov effect previously derived for the Moon that establishes an inverse linear correlation between log(Pmax) and log(A) in the lunar regolith. Results. Our polarimetric observations of Phaethon in the visible reveal the degree of linear polarization P ≈ (17.23 ± 2.00)% at α ≈ 57.9° and P ≈ (31.86 ± 2.00)% at α ≈ 73.2°, which demonstrates no significant wavelength dependence within the error bars of our measurements (± 2%). These data, when combined with what has previously been reported in the literature, suggests at least three types of polarimetric response on Phaethon. For two of them, we infer the maximum linear polarization to be Pmax ≈ 57.9%, occurring at αmax = 131° and Pmax ≈ 44.5% occurring at αmax = 127°. We estimate the geometric albedo (adjusted to α = 3°) to be AR = 0.075 ± 0.007 in the R filter, which appears to be consistent with dark F-type asteroids, as which Phaethon was first classified. We examine the Umov diagrams previously inferred for lunar regolith and find that they are hardly applicable to Phaethon and therefore not to other asteroids either.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralf Srama ◽  
Jon K. Hillier ◽  
Sean Hsu ◽  
Sascha Kempf ◽  
Masanori Kobayashi ◽  
...  

<p>The Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA) onboard Cassini characterized successfully the dust environment at Saturn from 2004 to 2017. Besides the study of Saturn’s E ring and its interaction with the embedded moons, CDA detected nanoparticles in the outer Saturn system moving on unbound orbits and originating primarily from Saturn’s E-ring. Although the instrument was built to detect micron and sub-micron sized particles, nano-sized grains were detected during the flyby at early Jupiter and in the outer environment at Saturn. Fast dust particles with sizes below 10 nm were measured by in-situ impact ionization and mass spectra were recorded. What are the limits of in-situ hypervelocity impact detection and what can be expected with current high-resolution mass spectrometers as flown onboard the missions DESTINY+ or EUROPA? Is the sensitivity of Dust Telescopes sufficient to detect nano-diamonds in interstellar space? This presentation summarizes the current experience of in-situ dust detectors and gives a prediction for future missions. In summary, current Dust Telescopes with integrated high-resolution mass spectrometers are more sensitive than the CASSINI Cosmic Dust Analyzer.</p>


1991 ◽  
Vol 126 ◽  
pp. 397-404 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Sandford

AbstractSamples of interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) have now been collected from the stratosphere, from the Earth’s ocean beds, and from the ice caps of Greenland and Antarctica The most likely candidates for the sources of these particles are comets and asteroids. Comparison of the infrared spectra, elemental compositions, and mineralogy of the collected dust with atmospheric entry models and data obtained from cometary probes and telescopic observations has provided important constraints on the possible sources of the various types of collected dust. These constraints lead to the following conclusions. First, most of the deep sea, Greenland, and Antarctic spherules larger than 100 μm are derived from asteroids. Second, the stratospheric IDPs dominated by hydrated layer-lattice silicate minerals are also most likely derived from asteroids. Finally, the stratospheric IDPs dominated by the anhydrous minerals olivine and pyroxene are most likely from comets. The consequences of these parent body assignments are discussed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 621 ◽  
pp. A137
Author(s):  
C. de la Fuente Marcos ◽  
R. de la Fuente Marcos

Context. The discovery and tracking of 2018 LA marks only the third instance in history that the parent body of a fireball has been identified before its eventual disintegration in our atmosphere. The subsequent recovery of meteorites from 2018 LA was only the second time materials from outer space that reached the ground could be linked with certitude to a particular minor body. However, meteoroids like 2018 LA and its forerunners, 2008 TC3 and 2014 AA, are perhaps fragments of larger members of the near-Earth object (NEO) population. As the processes leading to the production of such fragments are unlikely to spawn just one meteoroid per event, it is important to identify putative siblings and plausible candidates from which the observed meteoroids might have originated. Aims. Here, we study the pre-impact orbital evolution of 2018 LA to place this meteoroid within the dynamical context of other NEOs that follow similar trajectories. Methods. Our statistical analyses are based on the results of direct N-body calculations that use the latest orbit determinations and include perturbations by the eight major planets, the Moon, the barycentre of the Pluto–Charon system, and the three largest asteroids. A state-of-the-art NEO orbit model was used to interpret our findings and a randomization test was applied to estimate their statistical significance. Results. We find a statistically significant excess of NEOs in 2018 LA-like orbits; among these objects, we find one impactor, 2018 LA, and the fourth closest known passer-by, 2018 UA. A possible connection with the χ-Scorpiids meteor shower is also discussed. The largest known NEO with an orbit similar to that of 2018 LA is the potentially hazardous asteroid (454100) 2013 BO73 and we speculate that they both originate from a common precursor via a collisional cascade. Conclusions. Future spectroscopic observations of 454100 and other NEOs in similar orbits may confirm or deny a possible physical relationship with 2018 LA.


1991 ◽  
Vol 126 ◽  
pp. 21-28
Author(s):  
E. Grün ◽  
H. Fechtig ◽  
M. S. Hanner ◽  
J. Kissel ◽  
B.-A. Lindblad ◽  
...  

AbstractIn-situ measurements of interplanetary dust have been performed in the heliocentric distance range from 0.3 AU out to 18 AU. Due to their small sensitive areas (typically 0.01 m2for the highly sensitive impact ionization sensors) or low mass sensitivities (≥10−9g of the large area penetration detectors) previous instruments recorded only a few 100 impacts during their lifetimes. Nevertheless, important information on the distribution of dust in interplanetary space has been obtained between 0.3 and 18 AU distance from the Sun. The Galileo dust detector combines the high mass sensitivity of impact ionization detectors (10−15g) together with a large sensitive area (0.1 m2). The Galileo spacecraft was launched on October 18, 1989 and is on its solar system cruise towards Jupiter. Initial measurements of the dust flux from 0.7 to 1.2 AU are presented.


1995 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 351-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha S. Hanner

Study of the dust in circumstellar disks around young stars is currently an extremely active area in astronomy. There is little doubt that accretion disks are a natural part of protostellar evolution. Much recent observational and theoretical work is giving us a clearer picture of the physical conditions in dust disks and their evolutionary progression. IRAS observations revealed that many main-sequence stars, such as p Pictoris, have circumstellar disks. But whether these disks are related to planetary formation is not yet understood.A portion of the dust in disks around young stars ultimately may be incorporated into planetary systems. Thus, study of the dust in our own solar system complements the remote sensing of protostellar regions and aids in reconstructing the evolutionary history of the dust. Since comets formed in the cold outer regions of the solar nebula, they may contain intact interstellar grains. As the comets lose material during passage through the warm inner solar system, some of these grains will be released into interplanetary space. Technical advances now allow analysis of individual micrometer or smaller grains in interplanetary dust particles and primitive meteorite samples. Isotopic anomalies and patterns of crystal growth in these particles are yielding tantalizing clues about the interstellar material incorporated into these solar system samples.


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